McClatchy Newspapers
A little bit of chocolate soda and milk topped with sparkling water makes a delightful treat. Top it with vanilla ice cream for a bit of indulgence.

McClatchy Newspapers
A cold drink on a hot day hits the spot. Lemon and mint infusion is good hot or cold.

MODESTO, Calif. -- A cold drink on a hot day is one of summer's pleasures. Multiply your refreshment with some new drink ideas.

A soda is just a beverage, but a homemade soda is cartoon character-reaction good. One sip and your eyes will pop out of their sockets and your mouth will get "wow" big. That's how good it is.

Ripe cherries in the backyard inspired this version, but a soda made with blackberry, peach or strawberry syrup will have you dreaming of putting summer's fruits to good use. Fix and stash a batch or two in the freezer. The sugar content keeps the syrup from freezing hard, so it's always ready to mix with seltzer.

A squirt of lemon in water is just the starting point for refreshing the palate and quenching your thirst. Steeped and infused water, with or without tea, offers even more choices. The tamarind water is a wake-up call to go outside your comfort zone in reaching for a cold one. It's tart and sweet and -- most important -- refreshing. Tamarind in pliable bricks can be found in Asian markets.

Herbs add another element when slaking your thirst. Steep rosemary, lemon verbena, basil, lavender or chamomile and chill and drink, or freeze in trays and add to drinks as ice cubes.

And don't forget spices. Cinnamon sticks, a pinch of saffron and sweet fennel are more flavor options.

Finally, there's no better way to end an evening than with an ice-cold egg cream. This soda, consisting of chocolate syrup, milk and seltzer, probably dates to the 19th century, according to "New York Sweets: A Sugarhound's Guide to the Best Bakeries, Ice Cream Parlors, Candy Shops, and Other Emporia of Delicious Delights," by Susan Pear Meisel (Rizzoli International, $29.95).

"The modern versions contain neither egg nor cream, although earlier versions did include eggs in the ingredients," according to the book. Whatever its origins, it sure hits the spot.

Sour Cherry Syrup

The syrup recipe and most of the serving suggestions are from "Make Your Own Soda: Syrup Recipes for All-Natural Pops, Floats, Cocktails and More," by Anton Nocito (Clarkson Potter, $14.99). Makes 2 cups.

2 quarts fresh sour cherries, pitted

2 cups sugar

Juice of 1/2 lemon

COMBINE the cherries, sugar and lemon juice in a medium saucepan set over medium heat and bring to a boil. Simmer for 30 minutes.

STRAIN the syrup through a fine-mesh strainer and discard the fruit solids. Store the syrup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to seven days.

Cherry cream soda: Fill a tall glass with ice. Add in 3 tablespoons syrup, pour in seltzer until the glass is almost full. Stir. Top with 3 tablespoons milk and serve.

Cherry lassi: Add 3 tablespoons yogurt to a pint glass. Stir until smooth. Add 3 tablespoons cherry syrup and stir until syrup and yogurt are incorporated. Fill three-quarters full with water, stir and top with ice.

Bourbon and cherry chocolate: Add 1 3/4 ounces Maker's Mark bourbon, 1 tablespoon cherry syrup and dash of chocolate bitters to a cocktail shaker half-filled with ice. Shake and strain over fresh ice cubes or into a rocks glass, or serve neat in a martini glass.

This recipe is from "New York Sweets: A Sugarhound's Guide to the Best Bakeries, Ice Cream Parlors, Candy Shops, and Other Emporia of Delicious Delights," by Susan Pear Meisel (Rizzoli International, $29.95). Serves 1.

3/8 cup (3 ounces) whole milk

3/4 cup (6 ounces) very cold seltzer

3 tablespoons (11/2 ounces) chocolate syrup

Straight pretzel rod for garnish

POUR the milk into a 12-ounce glass and add the seltzer. Using a long spoon, stir vigorously for a few seconds. Gently pour the chocolate syrup into the glass, then stir again, taking care to stir mostly at the bottom of the glass to incorporate. Garnish with a straight pretzel rod.

Infused and Flavored Waters

Recipes from "Mediterranean Cooking," by The Culinary Institute of America and by Lynne Gigliotti (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, $34.99).

IN the jar of a blender, blend the cucumber and lime juice and then strain through a fine-mesh sieve for an hour. Add the juice to the water, along with a little sugar to taste. Serve garnished with a lime slice.

PUT the rosemary, lemon zest, lemon juice and sugar in a heatproof container. In a small saucepan, bring the water to a boil and then pour it over the rosemary. Stir and let infuse for two hours. Strain and serve cold.

Tamarind tea: 5 cups water; 1 cup tamarind paste; 1 cup sugar

IN a small saucepan, bring the water to a simmer over medium heat. Add the tamarind and sugar and stir for about five minutes, then let soak for two hours. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve and serve cold.

Lemon and Mint Infusion

This recipe is from "Share: The Cookbook That Celebrates Our Common Humanity" (Kyle Books, $35). Serves 1.

2 slices lemon

2 sprigs fresh mint

PLACE the lemon and mint into a heatproof glass and cover with boiling water. Allow to steep for two minutes before drinking. It's a refreshing way to start the day.